From the Monday, September 17th issue of our local paper, The Times Picaayune. "Faith-based ministries
and local nonprofits still ramping up relief efforts after Hurricane Isaac
say it's already clear that this recovery will proceed without the national
outpouring of money
and volunteers triggered by the power of Hurricane Katrina, meaning it will fall
more heavily on the good will of New Orleanians helping each other. "From
our point of view, the biggest challenge with this disaster will be getting
attention and money," said Gordon Wadge, president of Catholic Charities, Archdiocese
of New Orleans."
The above referenced article by Bruce Nolan noted that $107 million dollars
flowed into the Archdiocese of New Orleans and Catholic Charities after
Katrina. Post-Isaac both dollars and
volunteers are vastly diminished. Our
volunteers are now in the midst of poorly funded operations, lessening support
for volunteer groups like Americorps or Café Reconcile, and governmental
agencies now assuming ‘faith-based’ agencies are to pick up the slack! Just in these first two weeks, two of our
volunteers are working Saturdays as well as during the week to alleviate
needs. Fortunately, large numbers of Mormon
volunteers are coming, bringing all their supplies, including camping equipment,
to help gut houses. There is certainly
no shortage of need in the city.
Last week we started
our “routines.” The volunteers finished
with orientations, and began 'regular' work weeks. On Monday evening we had a community meeting,
did a ‘check in,’ and set a time for Morning Prayer and meals.
Charles works mornings each week at Lantern Light Ministry
taking care of mail for the homeless who use the center as their address. He also prepares dinner for the community on
Sunday and Monday and shops for staples like milk and bread and fruit.
Bob works Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the business
office of St. Joseph’s Parish on Tulane Avenue and is continuing to wind down
operations at Operation Helping Hands.
Tuesday and Thursday he works from home on the volunteer program and,
for now, Hurricane Isaac clean-up. Bob takes care of dinner on Tuesday and
Friday. [It is today reported in the Times
Picayune that Catholic Charities is thinking of restarting Operation Helping
Hands! One wonders.]
John works from home unless he is in a school with the
Discovery Walk program or on the road. He does dinner on Wednesday and is
another shopper for staples.
Matt Beben works at United Saints, a project of the
Methodist Church and Travis Wain works with Helping Hands. Both programs involve working with the poor in
rebuilding the city. John Petrullo works
at Café Reconcile.
Tuesday evening, Matt Beben drove Br. Charles and Br. John
to a gathering of religious at the Marianite Sisters of the Holy Cross in the
Bywater area for a discussion on violence and racism in New Orleans. Sr. Helen Prejean spoke and discussion
followed.
On Thursday evening Br. Charles and Br. John joined John
Petrullo for the graduation ceremonies for a group from Café Reconcile at the
Loews’ Hotel on Canal Street. Matt and
Travis were at an Americorps meeting.
Friday evening, Matt Beben and Travis Wain volunteered as
servers at a fundraiser at the Court of Two Sisters in City Park for Boys Hope,
Girls Hope, a residential program to assist young people with a stable living and
study environment.
Saturday, Matt was with United Saints supervising a large
group of Freshmen at Tulane University clearing lots in Center City while
Travis was with Helping Hands supervising Frosh from Loyola gutting flooded
houses in LaPlace.
On Saturday and Sunday, Good Shepherd Parish hosted the filming
of a series on prayer by Fr. Mark Toups, [Director of Seminary Formation for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux], for Ascension Press.
The filming was at St. Henry’s Church; the parish used the first floor
of our home, the Blessed Pauline Center to host breakfast, breaks and lunch for the
audience of 50 persons. John coordinated
that, as well as a Saturday afternoon meeting of two Sisters of the Holy Faith
and 12 possible associates for their community which they held in our living
and dining room. They had originally planned
to meet downstairs, but the parish pre-empted that; the living dining area
suited them well.
On Sunday, Bob and Charles headed for Mass at St. Gabriel’s
in Pontchartrain Park, Br. John went to Mass at St. Stephen’s and Matt, John and
Travis went to the 11:00 AM Mass at St. Louis Cathedral.
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| Br. John with Sr. Adalberta Mette, SCC, Superior General in May 2010 with relic of Blessed Pauline in background |
Br. John then attended a meeting of the
Associates of the Sisters of Christian Charity from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM at their residence on
Robert E. Lee Boulevard. The Sisters of Christian Charity lived at the Blessed Pauline Center
from 1873 to 1973 and still return here to hold Associate Gatherings. Their founder, Blessed Pauline von Mallinckrodt stayed in this house twice with her Sisters.
This coming week Br. John flies to Tampa on Wednesday for
Thursday’s 50th Anniversary Celebration for Tampa Catholic High
School; he flies back on Friday.
